


She Made Her Move

by BridgetMcKennitt



Category: Tiger & Bunny
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-11-24
Updated: 2011-11-24
Packaged: 2017-10-26 12:28:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,837
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/283125
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BridgetMcKennitt/pseuds/BridgetMcKennitt
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Jake saved her. The least Kriem could do was return the favor.</p>
            </blockquote>





	She Made Her Move

**Author's Note:**

> Happy Yuletide!

Kriem watched Jake walk away from her before realizing something very important. This man was the first person to ever treat her as a human being. No, even better than a human being. She was a NEXT and she should be proud of that fact. Kriem decided then and there to follow Jake and see where he could lead her because there was nothing here for her except tears and heartache.

She ran after Jake and called out his name. Jake stopped and glanced over his shoulder as she rushed to catch up with him.

"Yes?"

"I want to come with you. Please, Mister Jake." Kriem bowed her head and hoped her wish would come true. "Please take me with you."

Jake turned around to face her. "Why would I want to take you anywhere? What good are you to me?"

"Mister Jake, you said I should be proud that I'm a NEXT." She raised her head. "I want to help you realize your dream of a world filled with NEXTs in charge. Please, Mister Jake. I want to find my place in the world and I know it's beside you."

Jake laughed big and hearty before he knelt and rested his hands on her shoulders. "Very well. You may come with me. I have a feeling I could use someone of your talents." He stood up and held out his hand. "There is so much I can teach you. So much you can learn."

"I want to learn, Mister Jake." Kriem took his hand and felt comforted by his warmth.

***

"Humans are so easily manipulated. Look at them scurrying around like mice." Jakes gestured to the various people within the park.

They were on a picnic. Kriem chose the blanket they sat on and filled the picnic basket with the food they were eating. It was a beautiful day in Sternbild City, even more beautiful because Jake was by her side. He inched closer to her so he could whisper.

"Pick a kid, any child you want. Lure them in, Kriem, and help me make those humans pay for their happiness." He batted his eyes at her. "Why should they be allowed to be happy when you were never given the chance, not even from your parents?"

The words resonated within her and Kriem nodded firmly. "I'll find someone for you. Someone perfect for the taking."

Kriem plucked out a strand of hair from her head and used her power to make it as stiff as a board. She picked up the teddy bear sitting next to her and jabbed the hair strand into its arm. The bear came alive and Kriem set it down on the blanket.

"Venture forth and find me a happy little boy who would love to have you in his possession." Kriem scanned the park and settled her gaze on a couple of children begging for attention at the balloon vendor. "There. Find me a little boy in that group."

The bear stumbled down the grassy hill towards the children. No one noticed a teddy bear walking about and Jake laughed about it.

"Do you notice how incredible you are? These humans are so dumb they cannot see your greatness for what it is." Jake picked up a grape between his fingers and tossed it into his mouth. "Do you think someone will take the bait?"

Kriem nodded. "They will. I just know it. I won't let you down, Mister Jake."

"I know you won't." He patted her head before getting to his feet. "I'll get into position in the meanwhile. I have the utmost faith in you." Jake tipped his hat in Kriem's direction before walking off towards the edge of the park.

She wasn't going to disappoint Mister Jake. He was the only one in the world who believed in her. The teddy bear managed to get next to a little boy in a school uniform. He had messy black hair and a look about him that just screamed that he was loved by his parents. Kriem hated him on sight.

The teddy bear tapped at the boy's leg and the boy looked down. Kriem looked away so she could pack up the picnic. Her teddy bear would do the job of luring the little boy away from his family and friends. Little boys like that never thought further than their own pleasure and if their pleasure ran away, they'd chase after it without a second thought.

By the time Kriem finished packing the food and the blanket into her picnic basket and walked to where Mister Jake was waiting, the little boy was already in his grasp. The teddy bear was dirtied and one of its arms was torn off. Probably from the struggle the little boy put up. Jake flashed her a grin and gave her a thumbs up with his free hand before he returned his attention to the little boy.

"Welcome to our party," Jake said, cooing his words. "You won't be staying long. We just need to know who your parents are so we can send you scurrying home. Unless they don't pay your random. If that happens..." he trailed off and shot a fast force field at a trash can, knocking it down. The force of it had the can smoldering with smoke. "Let's just say there won't be much of you left to return home."

***

Jake set up the video and sent it off towards Mr. and Mrs. Ikeda. Kriem felt a pang of regret when the boy's parents immediately paid the ransom money. She hid behind a car with Jake as they watched him race towards his parents. It should have been her with her parents. Her parents overjoyed to have their child back in their arms instead of this child. It wasn't fair.

"It's not fair," she murmured.

"What did you say?"

Kriem looked up at Jake. "It's not fair that he gets to keep his happiness. They should suffer like I suffered."

"You're right. We should fix that." Jake flicked his fingers and right before the boy was embraced by his parents, he crumpled to the ground. "Now that that's done, what do you say to dinner? I'm craving steak."

"That sounds wonderful, Mister Jake." Jake granted her wishes. He was wonderful.

***

Kriem watched from the shadows as the police led Jake into the police car. Mr. Legend, a traitor to the NEXT race if there ever was one, stood proud before the news cameras as he proclaimed the city was safe from harm. She clenched her fist as thoughts swirled in her head. She needed to plot to help him escape, but she didn't know what to do first.

Tears ran down her cheeks and she furiously wiped them away. This wasn't the time for tears. Jake had thought her well and she could use their Ouroboros resources. She was fine. She could do this.

"For Mister Jake."

***

Kriem dressed in what she dubbed her 'human' outfit, her normal outfit that proudly proclaimed her as someone special was too outrageous for humans, and made her way to her appointment. She had pulled the strings to talk with the judge who currently held authority over Jake's file.

Her first impressions of the man was to be wary of him. His build was wiry and there was a look in his eyes that reminded her of Jake during his more ruthless moments.

"Miss...Furtado, was it? Please take a seat." Kriem sat down and folded her hands demurely over her lap. She had to use a fake name to get the appointment. "My name is Yuri Petrov. I am Sternbild City's Administration of Justice's judge and Jake Martinez is one of the cases assigned to me." He opened a folder in front of him and flipped through some papers. "I know you made a request to see Mr. Martinez and I wanted to know why. He is a dangerous NEXT."

"I was doing an assignment at school about criminals. My thesis is on Jake Martinez and I wanted to talk to him so I could ask him some questions." Kriem lowered her head as she kept her gaze on Yuri. "Mr. Petrov, I am quite serious when it comes to justice. I want to know how someone like Jake Martinez ticks. Please, Mr. Petrov."

The next thing she knew, Yuri was writing her a pass so she could visit Jake whenever she wanted. Kriem wanted to laugh at how easy it was to manipulate someone. Jake had taught her well.

***

She brought a picnic basket with her to her visitation. Kriem wore her regular outfit and brought along a teddy bear along with her umbrella. One could never know when she'd need to use her powers.

The sight of Jake nearly caught her breath. It had been so long since she had seen him and she had missed him. They were supposed to bring about a new world ruled by NEXTs. Jake was never meant to be held in a cage.

"Mister Jake." She pressed her hand against the glass wall. "I brought you some food. I doubt this prison has been giving you what you need."

"They haven't." Jake smirked at her from beyond the glass. He was growing the basics of a beard. "How have you been doing, Kriem?"

"Plotting. I am trying to figure out a way to get you out."

"You will find a way. I can wait. Our beautiful NEXT utopia is worth the wait, don't you agree?"

She did. "I have so much to tell you, Mister Jake."

"I want to hear it." He raised his hand. "But not everything. Some things should remain a secret. You know how much I enjoy secrets."

Kriem nodded. "I do." Kriem sat down cross-legged in front of the glass wall and began to talk. She wanted to soak in Jake's presence as much as possible.

***

It was difficult, but Kriem managed to keep her visits to see Jake at a bare minimum. It wouldn't do for anyone to connect him with her. Not yet anyway. Kriem grew older and she watched as NEXTs stooped to becoming "heroes" for the pathetic humans. She sat on a bench watching the giant screens capturing all of their exploits. One of them, the hero named Sky High, was so unlike Jake Martinez that it intrigued her. Kriem kept track of his exploits and amused herself by imagining what Sky High would do if he met Jake. He would lose, obviously, but _how_ was the question. There were so many delicious ways for someone like Sky High to die and Jake was powerful enough to cause all sorts of chaos.

Kriem leaned back, closed her eyes and smiled. While the dream of a world ruled by NEXT, ruled by Jake, was important to her, the dream of having Jake released and by her side once more took number one spot. She was going to rescue him, no matter how long it took.


End file.
